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Acid attacks – let’s try spreading some facts for a change

The ugly side of social media is causing problems in the borough as it being used to spread rumours and conspiracy theories about acid attacks which have no basis in fact. We thought we would publish some of those pesky fact things to balance things out a little.

Acid Attack Facts

In Newham there was an acid attack on 21 June and this is being treated as a hate crime. It is being rigorously investigated.

The Newham incident is only the second report in the last 12 months within the whole of London of such an incident having a hate crime link.

In 2016 there were 455 offences recorded where a corrosive/acid substance was used for all of London

In 2017 so far there have been 149 offences for all of London.

Of these 149 crimes 11 have been in Tower Hamlets. But none of them were race or hate crimes.

Acid Attack Data

Still unconvinced? Below is a table showing the number of acid attack offences in London between 2010 and 2016. Data for 2017 is not compared as we only have it for two months. This data does not cover only race / hate crimes – it includes all offences involving acid attacks.

From this data you can see that when each borough is ranked by total acid attack crimes between 2010-2016 Tower Hamlets is in fourth place with a total of 90 attacks.

Newham is by far the worst borough with over four times as many acid attacks than Tower Hamlets – 411.

Second is Barking & Dagenham with 152 attacks and third is Havering with 108 attacks .

Acid Attacks* in London 2010 – 2016

Borough

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Total 2010-2016

2017 (Jan-Feb)

London Total

293

259

162

210

166

261

454

1805

49

Newham

13

27

21

71

54

76

149

411

5

Barking & Dagenham

17

13

5

15

15

29

58

152

3

Havering

26

27

8

9

6

7

25

108

1

Tower Hamlets

5

7

2

4

6

24

42

90

0

Redbridge

4

2

6

2

11

26

27

78

0

Barnet

12

12

10

4

7

3

10

58

1

Hackney

9

0

5

2

3

15

21

55

0

Croydon

10

11

13

10

2

2

4

52

0

Sutton

25

9

5

3

3

6

0

51

1

Ealing

8

12

13

7

2

1

5

48

0

Hillingdon

11

11

6

8

1

5

5

47

4

Hounslow

15

9

6

4

3

3

7

47

0

Islington

11

10

4

0

4

8

9

46

2

Waltham Forest

10

2

3

5

1

3

15

39

0

Westminster

14

9

3

4

1

4

3

38

0

Hammersmith & Fulham

5

9

6

7

3

1

4

35

2

Lewisham

8

12

2

1

3

2

7

35

0

Brent

4

9

2

5

4

3

7

34

4

Bromley

14

4

6

2

3

2

3

34

0

Greenwich

6

9

1

3

4

2

9

34

2

Southwark

8

7

4

1

5

4

3

32

0

Enfield

4

3

5

3

4

7

5

31

0

Harrow

4

8

3

6

2

4

4

31

3

Camden

5

4

2

9

3

5

1

29

4

Richmond Upon Thames

4

11

2

5

1

2

4

29

4

Haringey

7

2

2

1

6

2

6

26

1

Kingston Upon Thames

9

4

4

0

0

1

8

26

2

Lambeth

9

0

4

2

2

2

6

25

0

Merton

6

3

2

7

1

4

2

25

3

Wandsworth

5

5

4

3

1

3

1

22

5

Bexley

3

4

2

5

1

4

1

20

1

Kensington & Chelsea

2

4

1

2

4

1

3

17

1

* Victims of “Causing explosions, sending explosive substance or throwing corrosive fluids with intent to grievous bodily harm” or Total Notifiable Offences where there is present on the crime record the feature code CB – Noxious or corrosive gas used e.g. acid thrown 1st January 2010 to 28th February 2017.

The police have issued a press statement saying that “There is no evidence that any group of people, white, black or Asian is being specifically victimised.”

Zero Tolerance

They have increased targeted patrols to combat individuals carrying and using such substances and have reiterated that they will not tolerate any attack using corrosive and noxious substances on anyone whoever they are, whatever their race or colour.

Tower Hamlets Borough Commander Williams is asking for anyone who has been a victim of a corrosive attack to report it in confidence and promises that victims will be fully supported.